When was the last time you lingered? Lingering can calm our hearts and often allows us to take that deep breath and be filled with a sense of, “all is well.”

I’ll be honest, there were seasons in my life when I didn’t know what lingering was. Six children. A job. Wife. Church. Cooking. Cleaning. Laundry. The times of sacred lingering were few and far between. Amid the happiness of all I was doing (I did enjoy it all), I missed out on something, inner solitude. I didn’t take time to linger and know my own true feelings.

Jesus was the master of lingering. He took time to stop and be with those in need along the way. He shared meals with many. He went away from the crowds to pray. Learning to linger brings new insight into God’s presence with us. It gives us strength and allows us to incorporate more times of thankful joy into our busy lives.

As we find ourselves approaching Advent and the celebration of the birth of Christ, may we take time to linger and listen for God’s quiet whispers.

I’d love to hear about your moments of lingering!